The Ultimate Fighting Championship is back in Florida this week for a middleweight bout that will influence who is the next UFC middleweight contender.

UFC on ESPN+ 8: Jacare vs. Hermansson is topped by Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza putting his middleweight contendership at risk against rising middleweight Jack Hermansson.

UFC Ft. Lauderdale Main Event: Jacare Souza vs. Jack Hermansson

Jacare was originally slated to fight Yoel Romero in the Ft. Lauderdale main event, but Romero had to withdraw because of a bout with pneumonia. With the rematch off the table (Jacare lost their first fight via split decision), Jacare remained on the card to fight Hermansson, but only if he could still earn a shot at the middleweight title.

Champion Robert Whittaker is expected to fight interim titleholder Israel Adesanya as soon as September to unify the belts. Jacare wants the winner, but he’ll have to get past a rocketing Hermansson first.

The Swede is 6-2 in the Octagon, having won his last three fights. He’s hoping to upset Jacare and put himself into contention for a shot at the belt.

Oddsmakers at MMAWeekly.com odds partner MyBookie on Friday had Jacare as the favorite to continue his run at the UFC belt, which has eluded him during his six years in the Octagon. MyBookie has Jacare listed at -199, while Hermansson sat at +164.

The UFC on ESPN+ 8 co-main event features highly controversial former NFL player Greg Hardy, who is a heavy favorite to defeat Dmitrii Smoliakov at -315 to +255.

(If you’d like to wager on the fights, use the promo code MMAWEEKLY to get a 50-percent sign-up bonus at MyBookie.)

UFC on ESPN+ 8: Jacare vs. Hermansson Betting Odds

(as of April 26, 2019, courtesy of MyBookie)

• Jacare Souza: -199 vs. Jack Hermansson: +164
• Greg Hardy: -315 vs. Dmitrii Smoliakov: +255

If you’d like to take a closer look at the UFC on ESPN+ 8 betting lines and prop bets or any of the other MyBookie odds, be sure to use the promo code MMAWEEKLY if you sign up to get your 50-percent sign-up bonus. 

Article source: https://www.mmaweekly.com/ufc-ft-lauderdale-betting-odds-can-jack-hermansson-upset-jacare-souza

(Courtesy of UFC)

As we get ready for Bellator 220, join Rory MacDonald and Jon Fitch as they prepare to fight for the Bellator welterweight title at the SAP Center in San Jose on Saturday.

TRENDING  Bellator 220: MacDonald vs. Fitch Ceremonial Weigh-in Video

Article source: https://www.mmaweekly.com/countdown-to-bellator-220-rory-macdonald-vs-jon-fitch

(Courtesy of BellatorMMA)

Watch the Bellator 220: MacDonald vs. Fitch Ceremonial Weigh-in streaming live on Friday, April 27 at 4 p.m. ET.

The fight card is topped by two title bouts, as welterweight champion Rory MacDonald puts his championship on the line opposite Jon Fitch as part of the Bellator Welterweight Grand Prix. In the Bellator 220 co-main event, women’s flyweight champion Ilima-Lei Macfarlane defends her belt against Veta Arteaga.

TRENDING Ilima-Lei Macfarlane knows Bellator 220 opponent Veta Arteaga isn’t intimidated

Bellator 220: MacDonald vs. Fitch takes place Saturday, April 27, at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif.

Article source: https://www.mmaweekly.com/bellator-220-macdonald-vs-fitch-ceremonial-weigh-in-video

For welterweight prospect Tyler Ray, the fact that he’s been able to fight, let alone pick up victories in three of his four bouts, is impressive considering how he’d been fighting with a potentially dangerous medical issue.

Following a particularly nasty bout of pneumonia, Ray was diagnosed with a growth in his lung, causing him to operate at only a fraction of normal lung capacity for as long as he had been fighting.

“I ended up finding out I had an empyema, and drained 1.12 liters out of my pleural cavity,” Ray told MMAWeekly.com. “It was supposed to be a 30 minute surgery, but it ended up taking two hours and 45 minutes. The surgeon came out and told my dad and my wife that if I had waited 24-36 hours to have come in, I would have died. It was starting to shut down the other organs it was so bad.

“It was always in the back of my mind what if I never fight again, (but) my mind just switched into getting back into the cage again. That’s all I focused on. With God and my family and everyone around of me I got back in the cage. Every day since then it’s a blessing to me. Every time I get to step into the cage I never take it for granted.”

Now that Ray is fully recovered, he feels like able to perform at a level that he’d previously been not been capable of.

“Now that’s behind me, my cardio is not an issue to me anymore,” said Ray. “It’s not a fear in the back of my head in a fight. If it turns into a barn-burner, I can go. I can hit the gas pedal the whole time.

“My last fight (versus Seth Bess at Bellator 204 last August) was when I finally started to feel comfortable in the cage, and I think it showed. I’m looking to build off that this year.”

ON Friday in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Ray (3-1) will look to pick up his first win of 2019 when he faces Sam Garrett (3-1) in a main card 170-pound bout at LFA 64.

TRENDING  Opponent says Conor McGregor cheap-shotted him in recent boxing exhibition in Ireland

“I just need to go out there and do what I feel I’m capable of,” Ray said. “I treat every single fighter the same, as if I’m fighting for a world title, and I never underestimate anybody.

“I think it’s a good match-up for me, because every fight is a good match-up for me, I’m dangerous in all aspects. I’m not going to worry about what he’s doing, I’m just going to go out and do what I’m capable of doing, if I do that I will come out with a win.”

Following the example of teammate and UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman, Ray feels like he can take his career to the next level in 2019, but will do so one step at a time.

“I do have a road map for myself, and goals I do want to obtain, and I am slowly chipping away at them,” said Ray. “I’m never looking two steps ahead; I’m always focused on right in front of me, so right now I’m focused on Sam. Once I get by him, we will figure out the next steps of my career.

“I do believe I will be in the UFC. I believe it will be sooner than later, but I’ve got to handle my business first on Friday night, and then we’ll sit down and figure out what comes next.”

Article source: https://www.mmaweekly.com/tyler-ray-going-to-do-what-hes-capable-of-at-lfa-64

(Courtesy of UFC)

Cory Sandhagen is not cut out to live a mediocre life. When he decided to go after a career in mixed martial arts, it was going to be for nothing less than becoming a world champion.

Three fights into his UFC tenure, he has won all three of those bouts and has a stellar 10-1 overall record to his credit.

Sandhagen faces seasoned veteran John Lineker next at UFC on ESPN+ 8 on Saturday in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. If he continues his impressive UFC finishing streak, Sandhagen thinks he’s only a fight or two away from challenging for the UFC bantamweight championship.

TRENDING  Luke Rockhold expects Jon Jones showdown later this year

Tune in Saturday, April 27 to MMAWeekly.com for UFC on ESPN+ 8: Jacare vs. Hermansson full live results from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Article source: https://www.mmaweekly.com/cory-sandhagen-im-not-down-for-having-a-life-that-is-mediocre-ufc-ft-lauderdale-video